diff --git a/lib/rdf/graph_builder.ex b/lib/rdf/graph_builder.ex
index 487c619..a21f1a6 100644
--- a/lib/rdf/graph_builder.ex
+++ b/lib/rdf/graph_builder.ex
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 defmodule RDF.Graph.Builder do
   alias RDF.{Description, Graph, Dataset, PrefixMap}
 
-  import RDF.Guards
-
   defmodule Error do
     defexception [:message]
   end
@@ -121,7 +119,8 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.Builder do
   defp rdf?(%Description{}), do: true
   defp rdf?(%Graph{}), do: true
   defp rdf?(%Dataset{}), do: true
-  defp rdf?(statement) when is_statement(statement), do: true
+  defp rdf?(statements) when is_map(statements), do: true
+  defp rdf?(statements) when is_tuple(statements), do: true
   defp rdf?(list) when is_list(list), do: true
 
   defp rdf?(invalid) do
diff --git a/test/unit/graph_builder_test.exs b/test/unit/graph_builder_test.exs
index 9140657..aa75fc8 100644
--- a/test/unit/graph_builder_test.exs
+++ b/test/unit/graph_builder_test.exs
@@ -90,6 +90,45 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.BuilderTest do
              ])
   end
 
+  test "triples given as maps" do
+    graph =
+      RDF.Graph.build do
+        %{
+          EX.S => %{
+            EX.p1() => EX.O1,
+            EX.p2() => [EX.O2, EX.O3]
+          }
+        }
+      end
+
+    assert graph ==
+             RDF.graph([
+               EX.S
+               |> EX.p1(EX.O1)
+               |> EX.p2(EX.O2, EX.O3)
+             ])
+  end
+
+  test "triples given as nested list" do
+    graph =
+      RDF.Graph.build do
+        [
+          {EX.S,
+           [
+             {EX.p1(), EX.O1},
+             {EX.p2(), [EX.O2, EX.O3]}
+           ]}
+        ]
+      end
+
+    assert graph ==
+             RDF.graph([
+               EX.S
+               |> EX.p1(EX.O1)
+               |> EX.p2(EX.O2, EX.O3)
+             ])
+  end
+
   test "nested statements" do
     graph =
       RDF.Graph.build do
@@ -150,13 +189,6 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.BuilderTest do
         "foo"
       end
     end
-
-    assert_raise Builder.Error, "invalid RDF data: {:ok, \"foo\"}", fn ->
-      RDF.Graph.build do
-        EX.S |> EX.p(EX.O)
-        {:ok, "foo"}
-      end
-    end
   end
 
   test "variable assignments" do
@@ -324,7 +356,7 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.BuilderTest do
         (fn ->
            RDF.Graph.build do
              # TODO: the following leads to a (RDF.Namespace.UndefinedTermError) Elixir.TestNS is not a RDF.Namespace
-             # @prefix custom: TestNS.Custom
+             # @prefix cust: TestNS.Custom
              @prefix cust: RDF.Graph.BuilderTest.TestNS.Custom
 
              Custom.S |> Custom.p(Custom.O)
@@ -343,7 +375,7 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.BuilderTest do
         (fn ->
            RDF.Graph.build do
              # TODO: the following leads to a (RDF.Namespace.UndefinedTermError) Elixir.TestNS is not a RDF.Namespace
-             # @prefix custom: TestNS.Custom
+             # @prefix TestNS.Custom
              @prefix RDF.Graph.BuilderTest.TestNS.Custom
 
              Custom.S |> Custom.p(Custom.O)
@@ -383,7 +415,7 @@ defmodule RDF.Graph.BuilderTest do
         (fn ->
            RDF.Graph.build do
              # TODO: the following leads to a (RDF.Namespace.UndefinedTermError) Elixir.TestNS is not a RDF.Namespace
-             # @prefix custom: TestNS.Custom
+             # @base TestNS.Custom
              @base RDF.Graph.BuilderTest.TestNS.Custom
 
              Custom.S |> Custom.p(Custom.O)